Ments



G. H. CURTISS.

TRIPLANE.

APPUCATION mm MAY 31. ms.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921 4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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TRIPLANE.

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Patented Feb. 15, 1921,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- fie-4 G. H. CURTISS.

TRIPLANE.

* APPLICATION FILED MAY 31. 1919.

1,368,550, Patented Feb. 15,1921

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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iii r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GLENN H. CUBTISS, OF GARD CITY, NEW YORK. ASSIGNOR, BY HESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO GURTISS AER PLANE AND MOTOR CORPORATION, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TRIPLAN E.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Original application filed January 13, 1916, Serial No, 71,942. Divided and this application filed May 31,

. 1918. Serial no. 237,455.

To all whom it may cmzcern Be it known that I, GLENN H. CUn'riss, a citizen of the United States. residing at Garden City, in the county of Nassau and State of New'York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Triplanes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to airplanes and is a division of application Serial No. 71,942 filed January 1916, for improvements in tri lane flying boats.

n the matter of size, the modern tendency has been/to increase flying machine dimensions in direct proportion to the advances made in aeronautical power plants. Machines capable of transporting through the air loads of several tons are required if aerial navigation is to develop com mercially, and also are demanded by the exigencies of aerial warfare. WVhile the flying boat, from its essentially much sturdier body construction, is better fitted than the land alighting aeroplane for the transportation through the air of loads hitherto considered impossibly heavy, it will be readily understood that my present invention in triplanes comprehends the use of aeroplane bodies of whatever type is thought advantageous.

With the use of a boat hull of an unusual size and weight, it is necessary to depart from the usual practice as regards the design and construction of the supporting and control surfaces therefon' In particular, it has been my aim to arrange a power plant installation in intimate conjunction with one of the triplane surfaces, which installation includes the employment of a plurality of separate engine units upon each side of the longitudinal axis of the boat hull, at least four distinct engines bein employed for the propulsion of the boat. is regards the control surfaces, which in a boat of this char invention with which I am at present con versant, and throughout the several views of which like characters of reference designate similar parts,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the triplane.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation,

Fig. 3 is a half sectional view showing the forward and rear engine bed Structures mounted upon their corresponding wins! beams,

Fig. 4 is a side view of the same suhi matter,

Fig. 5 is a detail of the truss plate c|n ployed for the forward engine bed beams.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the truss plate.

Fig. 7 is a view illustrating the rear portion of an engine mounting, and

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the matter shown in Fig. 7.

The boat hull is designated in its entirety by the numeral 15 and is constructed along the lines of the regulation flying boat of the standard Curtiss type in general, although so modified and individually designed as is required by its extraordinary size and weight-carrying capabilities. The supporting surfaces are arranged in a vertically superposed tier, the lowermost wings 16 beinghingedly connected to a central panel 17 extending integrally through the boat hull. Pontoons 18 are carried at the outer extremities of this wing for lateral support of the boat updn the surface of the water in the usual manner. Moreover, the gap between the lower supporting surface and the intermediate supporting surface is less than the ga between the intermediate supporting surface and the upper supporting surface. This arrangement, together with the fact that the surfaces are of unequal span tends to bring the center of resistance and center of thrust closer together which is desirable.

Overlapping the lower wing both laterally and fore and aft is the central supporting surface 19 which is constructed of a number of hingedly alined panels which are spaced by the engine beds adapted to be incorporated directly into this wing structure as will be later more exactly set forth. The uppermost wing 20 is formed with the same chord as the central wing which it laterally overhangs in the Well known manner that enhances its efiiciency. This upper wing is also built up of separate panels which are alined and hingedly connected to each other and to a central engine section 21. The outermost panel 22 of the uppermost wing is suspended in its overhanging relation with respect to the wing structure 19 through the medium of win masts 23 which also suport between t em non-skid surfaces 24.

his panel22 is cut away alon its rear interior beam in order to provi e for the hinging to the latter of the aileron 25 which completes the wing arrangement and serves to control the lateral stability of the craft in flight.

Aside from the usual wing struts and posts generally designated by the numerals 26 and cross braced between adjacent planes in the well known manner by tension wiring 27, the main wing supports consist of the structures employed to mountthe. engine beds centrally of the machine, the details of which mounting are now to be specifically considered under the head of power plant installation.

Having reference more particularly for;

the present to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be observed that the main portion of each of the structures mounting one of the power plants between the upper and lower fplanes comprises a V-brace consisting o a pair of struts 28 having their lower terminals converging to a seat within the commonsocket- 29. A pair of these braces are arranged in longitudinal alinement upon the wing beams 30 and 31 of the lowermost plane. Resting upon the upper extremities of the struts 28 are the engine bed beams 32 which are prevented from displacement thereupon through the medium of socket plates to be more particularly referred to in the description pertaining to Figs. 6-9 inclusive. While the forward and the rear V-braces of each separate engine bed mounting are essentially similar, differing only in dimensions, dissimilar means are necessarily employed to supplement the function of each V-brace in maintaining the bed beams 32 in their proper spaced and braced relation.

The forward V-brace of each engine bed has superposed thereover the double truss plates, each of which is designated in its entirety by numeral 33. As shown in Fig. 6, each one of the double trusses 33 is supported upon the beams 32 in alinement with one of the V-struts 28, through the medium of the socket plate 34 previously mentioned. The separate plates forming each double truss are formed up from a flat pattern of some desirable metal so that the edges of each plate and the perimeters of lightening apertures 35 may be readily flanged out to secure strength at no increase of weight. As shown in Fig. 6, double plates are arched upwardly over the extremities of the struts 28, being connected together through the medium of bolts 36 or a similar fastening means. The double truss members on opposite sides of the center line of the V-brace converge to support at the centerof the raised arch connected bracket rings 37 which are shaped to conform to the streamline of the central post 38"whfizh is thus supported by the members 33 in a vertical and central continuation of the forward V-brace of each en ine bed. i

he main difference between the truss plates employed for the forward and for the rear V-braces is that the engine illustrated by the dotted lines of Fig. 4 is so mounted upon its beams 32 that its vertical center passes through the forward wing beam 30, accordingly necessitating a certain clearance under the forward strut 38, which is accomplished by employing the truss arches just described.

The rearward V-brace uses truss plates 39 of a similar formation but of a simpler shape. These plates 39 extend between opposite rear extremities of the engine bed and support centrally a post socket 40 in which is erected the rear upper strut 41 supporting, with the forward upper strut 38, the central wing panels of the topmost plane 20.

The clip plates 34 employed at the junction of the forward V-brace with the corresponding extremities of its engine bed consist primarily of a body portion 42 secured to the side of the appropriate beam 32 through the medium of some such fastening devices as the bolts 43 and inclined and prolonged end portions 44 and 45 respectively which embrace the lower extremity of the corresponding truss plate 33 and the upper extremity of a brace strut 28, respectively. In alinement and in continuation of diagonal borings through each engine bed beam 32, there are carried lugs 46 upon 0 posite plates 42 of that bed beam for t e accommodation through the beam of anchoring bolts 47 to which a portion of the tension wiring 48 is secured to cross brace the engine section of the triplane cell. The clip plates' arranged for use in conjunction with the rear set of truss plates 39 are practically similar to those just described and are arranged in complementary pairs 49 to depend from each rearward extremity of an engine bed beam, being secured directl to the adjacent extremities of their truss p ates 39 and serving to unite the truss, the beam and the strut into an intimate'bracing relation with each other. Lugs 46 are also maintained by opposite plates of the clip 49 for the similar purpose of supporting anchor bolts 47 from the beam in the manner just described.

A plurality of engine beds fabricated after the manner set forth in the foregoing are alined upon the center panel 17 of the lowermost plane, a pair being placed upon each side of the hull 15 and one of the engine beds of each pair being directly braced into the hull through the medium of the a heavy posts 50. The intermediate plane 19 directly intersects the alined engine beds, and is broken up into a series of spaced panels 51 which are hingedly connected to appropriate bed beams 32 in the manner more particularly illustrated in Figs. 5 and 8. The beams 52 of these short panels are channeled along their forward: and rear faces in order to accommodate therewithin hinge clips 53 which are secured in pairs to each end of one of the short beams 52 and are then bent inwardly over the beveled edge 54 which terminates the channel onto the flat surface of the beam extremity, the projecting ends of the clips 53 of each air being connected by a hinge bolt which also passes through ears 55 formed at the extremities of a tie-tube 56 which is supported upon the beams of each engine bed and maintained between respective truss plates 33, in the case of the forward panel beams 52. The rearward anel beams 52 are provided with similar clips but are mounted directly upon ears 57 which are formed up from the body of the outer clip of each supplemental pair 49 previousl described, no tie-tubes eing required. t the very extremity of each of the beams 52 is maintained a clip 58 which provides a very sturdy wire anchorage.

The method of mounting the engine novelly comprehends the arrangement of tubes 59 to be supported upon the beams of the engine bed, such tubes passing directly through the crank shaft bearings of the motor, this latter being denoted by the numeral 60. In my present invention I have indicated the use of 'four such engines, which are of the internal combustion V-type de signed to develop two hundred and fifty horse power. Each one of these engines is fitted with a four bladed tractor screw 61 and the entire engine and bed is surrounded by streamline casing 63, as is clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. The boat which I previously designated in general by the numeral 15 is a development. of the well known type originally promulgated by myself, differing from ormer boats of this character only in the increase of dimensions which has been necessary to adapt the boat to the heavy duty for which the entire machine is designed. The usual cabin 64 is provided over the hydroplaning bottom of the hull 15, being forwardly rounded off by a conning top 65 and provided with a pair of cockpits 66 and 67 arranged in tendem to communicate with the interior of the hull through the cabin roof immediately behind the top 65 and forward of the step 68 which terminates the hydroplaning" bottom. Drift wires 69 and 70 emanate from the nose of the hull 15 to the upper planes 19' and 20 respectively, while the empennage of the boat is noteworthy b' reason of the novel arrangement of control surfaces which are now to be immediately set forth.

Upon the extreme tail of the boat there 1:. supported the vertical stabilizer 71 which is intersected at its base by the horizontal stabilizer 7 2. Hingedly connected to the first mentioned stabilizer is the lateral steering rudder 80, while similarly mounted upon the horizontal stabilizer are the longitudinal steering rudders or elevators73.

Asa result of the general arrangement of the supporting surfaces and power plants I am ena led to employ a boat hull of such large dimensions as to render it exceedingly seaworthy and essentially adapted for deep water use and transoceanic flights. The supporting surfaces of the craft are intimately associatedwith the motor arrangement with the result that a complete struc-- ture deriving great strength from the interconnection of its components is derived. In other words there is evolved a multiplane flying boat having accommodations for an especially heavy useful load and a large quantity of fuel whereby long non -stop fii hts are made possible.

atis claimed is:

1. A flying machine including upper and lower aerial supporting surfaces, engine beds mounted between the sup orting surfaces, supports for the engine Beds erected upon the lower supporting surface and continued beyond the engine beds for c0nnection with the upper supporting surface, and an intermediate supporting surface intersecting said engine beds and fastened to the supports.

2. A flying machine including upper and lower aerial supporting surfaces, a body,engine beds mounted at opposite sides of the body and 'between the supporting surfaces and an intermediate surface composed of 23818 alined with and spaced by the engine 3. A triplane flying machine including aerial supporting surfaces, the gap between the'lower supporting surface and the intermediate supporting surface being less than the gap between the intermediate supporting surface and the upper supporting surface, engine beds built into the structure of the intermediate su porting surface, a body, the relation of the ower supporting surface to the body being such that the wings constituting said lower supporting surface pass directly through said body and a separate propelling power plant supported upon each of the engine beds.

4. In atriplane or multiplane flying machine, upper and lower aerial supporting surfaces, an intermediate surface, engine 131 beds intersecting said intermediate surface and streamline casin surrounding each 0 said engine beds an also intersecting said intermediate surface.

5. The combination with struts supporting an aerofoil, of engine bed beams also supported by said struts, struts continuing the first said struts to support a second an superposed aerofoil, an engine supported upon said beams and centered over one of the first said struts, and means carried by said beams to support the continuing strut above said. engine.

6. The combination with struts supporting an aerofoil, of engine bed beams also supported by said struts, an engine supported u on said beams and centered over one of t e first said struts, a continuing strut extended above the engine, and means carried by the engine bed beams to support the continuing strut.

7. A flying machine including an upper, a lower and an intermediate supporting surface, engine bed beams built into the structure of the intermediate supporting surface, engines mounted on the engine bed beams, the plural number of engines bein symmetrically arranged at opposite sides 0 the longitudinal vertical plane of the fore and aft axis of the machine, and supports for the engine bed beams erected upon the lower supporting surface and continuing beyond the intermediate supporting surface for connection with the upper supporting surface respectively in the longitudinal vertical plane of the engines.

8. flying machine including an upper, a lower and an intermediate supporting surface, the gap between the supporting surfaces bein unequal with the smaller gap between t e' intermediate and lower supporting surfaces, engine beds built into the structure of the intermediate supporting surface, engines mounted upon the engine beds, substantially V-struts carried by the lower supporting surface for the direct support of t e engine beds, and single center struts erected above the engines for continuing the V-struts to the upper supporting surface in the longitudinal vertical plane of the center line of each en 'ne.

9. A flying machine inc uding an upper, a lower and an intermediate supporting surface, engine beds built into the structure of the intermediate sup orting surface, su ports for the engine Eeds erected upon tEe lower supporting surface, engines mounted on the engine beds, and casings arranged to inclose the respective engines, each casin being of substantially streamline form an extended res ectively above and below the horizontal p ane of the intermediate supporting surface.

10. flying machine including a central body, an upper supporting surface, a lower supporting surface, an intermediate supporting surface, engine beds built into the structure of the intermediate supporting surface, said intermediate supporting surface comprising a plurality of wing panels, certain of which panels are directly fixed to the engine bed beams, sup orts for the engine beds including upwar y diverging struts, the outer-most supports being lat erally spaced out from the body at opposite sides of its fore and aft axis, the supports in addition aflording wing post connections between the lower supporting surface and the intermediate supporting sur- 'face, and continuing struts erected in vertical alinement with the supports for the engine bed, the continuing struts afl'ording connections between the intermediate supporting surface and the upper supporting surface.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

GLENN H. UURTISS. 

